Turkey & the Balkans
Sarkozy, secularism and Turkey’s European future
01 June 2007
Can things get worse for Turkey? The presidential election is stalled; the army threatens to intervene; millions are protesting in the streets; EU negotiations remain partly suspended; terrorism in the South-East could prompt military forays into northern Iraq; and the new French president wants to see Turkey in a Mediterranean...
Issue 54 - 2007
25 May 2007
- Sarkozy, secularism and Turkey’s European future, Katinka Barysch
- Europe and America’s debate about foreign policy , Tomas Valasek
- Industrial policy – back to the future?, Simon Tilford
Nicolas Sarkozy: Turkophobe and protectionist?
08 May 2007
Most EU governments wanted Nicolas Sarkozy to win the presidential election. They think his liberalising economic agenda stands a fair chance of boosting France’s lacklustre economic performance.
What Turkey’s crisis means for the EU
03 May 2007
Turkey has aborted its presidential election and called for an early parliamentary one. The army, it appears, is still on stand-by. Prime Minister Erdogan accused the country’s highest court of having fired “a bullet at democracy” by declaring the first round of voting on his presidential candidate, Abdullah Gul, invalid.
Turkish business and EU accession
01 December 2006
Turkish accession prospects were becoming bleaker at the end of 2006, just over a year after the start of accession talks. Both Turkey’s political elite and its people are disillusioned with the EU.
If Turkey and the EU break up...
01 December 2006
The EU may decide to halt the accession talks with Turkey – or the Turkish government may walk away from them. But has either seriously thought through the consequences?
Issue 51 - 2007
24 November 2006
- If Turkey and the EU break up..., Katinka Barysch
- Time to get tough on carbon emissions, Simon Tilford
- Transatlantic trade: walk before you run, Aurore Wanlin
Absorption capacity – the wrong debate
09 November 2006
On November 8th, the European Commission published its new strategy report on enlargement. A non-event: drafts had been widely leaked to the press; and the most explosive question – whether accession negotiations with Turkey should by wholly or partly suspended because of Cyprus – has been put off until December.
Serbia’s choice
01 August 2006
Serbia faces a stark political choice this year: to make progress towards joining the EU and NATO, or to turn backwards towards bitter nationalism and a mentality of victimhood.
Turkey, Russia and modern nationalism
01 August 2006
The EU faces few challenges greater than working out a modus vivendi with two large and difficult neighbours. The way the Union chooses to deal with this duo will do much to determine its future character.
Issue 49 - 2006
28 July 2006
- Turkey, Russia and modern nationalism, Charles Grant
- Britain and France must pool parts of their defence, Edgar Buckley
- Serbia’s choice, Angela Heath
The EU must keep its promise to the Western Balkans
07 July 2006
Enlargement has been one of the EU's most successful policies. In the case of the Central and East European countries, the wish to join the Union has helped to foster stability, democratisation and economic reform.
Cyprus, Turkey and the EU: Time for a sense of proportion and compromise
03 July 2006
The start of Turkish accession talks provided a faint glimmer of hope for unfreezing the Cyprus stalemate that has prevailed since the Greek Cypriots voted down a UN-sponsored settlement plan in 2004.
The EU's awkward neighbour: Time for a new policy on Belarus
06 April 2006
On 19 March 2006 the people of Belarus vote in a presidential election. The result of an election that has been neither free nor fair is certain: President Alyaksandr Lukashenka will be re-elected. What is not certain is how the EU reacts.
The EU needs a bolder Balkan strategy
01 February 2006
The Balkans are returning to the top of the EU’s agenda. UN envoy Martti Ahtisaari has begun to negotiate Kosovo’s future, while Montenegrins will probably vote in April on whether to break with Serbia.
Issue 46 - 2006
27 January 2006
- The EU must do more on climate change, Stephen Tindale
- India and the EU: strategic partners?, Charles Grant
- The EU needs a bolder Balkan strategy, Carl Bildt
East versus West? The European economic and social model after enlargement
06 January 2006
The EU's enlargement to the East has been an economic success. Trade between the old and the new members is thriving. Foreign investment by West European companies has helped to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in Central and Eastern Europe, and it has generated multi-billion euro profits for the investing companies.
Some advice for Turkey
01 December 2005
Turkey remains far from its goal of entering the EU, despite starting accession talks in October and gaining a broadly favourable progress report from the European Commission in November.
Issue 45 - 2006
25 November 2005
- The EU needs a policy on Belarus, Urban Ahlin
- Some advice for Turkey, Katinka Barysch
- Easing the pain of trade liberalisation , Richard Cunningham
Can variable geometry save EU enlargement?
03 October 2005
All over Europe, politicians are becoming more hostile to further EU enlargement. One reason is that electorates in many countries oppose it. Another is that the EU’s ‘widening’ has always been closely linked to its ‘deepening’.